Masked Hunk

"Sure, shall I pick the location?" Zhang Yang replied to the girl while busy chatting with his mom.

He hadn't really taken this matter to heart; he was the type who wouldn't waste energy on these half-hearted conversations that fizzled out, simply letting them fade away.

However, this time, since his mom had introduced her, he couldn't just brush it off.

With the mindset of "just meeting to make a new friend," Zhang Yang agreed.

"Alright, I'll wait for your notification tomorrow," she replied.

After a few brief exchanges, neither continued the conversation, as if both understood that this meeting was merely a formality.

That evening, Zhang Yang picked a Black Pearl restaurant in advance, and since tomorrow was the weekend, he booked a table ahead of time.

This restaurant was located at The Bund and was famous for its view.

The average cost per person was naturally not low.

Since it was just to make a friend, Zhang Yang wouldn't be stingy about spending a thousand or two.

The next morning, the sky was bright.

After his morning workout, Zhang Yang rarely prepared his own breakfast, choosing instead to walk to a time-honored brand in the Magic City for a meal.

Long-term dietary control leads to a slower metabolism, so every ten days or so, he would schedule a cheat meal to boost his metabolism and vent the appetite he had suppressed for the past ten days.

On this cheat day, he could satisfy any cravings he had.

Objectively speaking, while a cheat meal might slow down his weight loss, it was more conducive to long-term persistence and emotional relief; overall, the pros outweighed the cons.

"I've been dieting for too long; my stomach feels like it's shrunk." Zhang Yang rubbed his slightly bloated belly and shook his head with a smile. He had planned to go all out today, but he hadn't expected to be full after just one round of soup dumplings.

In the past, this would have been nothing more than an appetizer.

The breakfast shop was bustling and exceptionally noisy. If he missed out today, he would have to wait another ten days, but Zhang Yang was truly powerless; he really couldn't eat another bite.

He reluctantly finished a bowl of soy milk before leaving with lingering regret.

After breakfast, it was time for the main event.

Change the hairstyle, remove the glasses.

First stop: a makeover starts with the head!

He couldn't be careless about a new hairstyle; it didn't have to be flashy, but it definitely couldn't go wrong. Zhang Yang simply and crudely searched on the review app for a styling salon nearby with the highest average price and a large number of reviews.

He didn't know which one was more professional, but if they dared to charge such high prices, they had to have some skills, right?

The salon's environment featured a black and gold color scheme, looking less like a place for styling and more like a luxury boutique. As Zhang Yang walked in, a pretty receptionist naturally came to greet him.

"Do you have a preferred stylist?" she asked.

Zhang Yang glanced at the list of stylists in the shop. The director at the top was actually named Tony, and the long list of credentials following his name looked quite professional, not like they were just fooling around.

As for the price, it started at 1,500, which lived up to the director's title.

"Then arrange for Tony," Zhang Yang said, pointing at the name.

A moment later, inside a private VIP room, a trendy-looking stylist was communicating face-to-face with Zhang Yang.

"What kind of hairstyle do you think suits my face?" Zhang Yang asked, facing the floor-to-ceiling mirror.

"Based on your temperament, I think you should lean towards a mature, sophisticated style. I strongly suggest a Hong Kong-style side-parted undercut," Tony stated decisively.

"Something like Bosco Wong? Then let's do that." Zhang Yang chose to trust the professional.

As if receiving a signal, Tony immediately entered his zone and got to work.

Zhang Yang sat in front of the mirror, watching Tony perm and trim his hair. A side-parted undercut was a style that was both demanding on the individual and a test of the stylist's skill; one mistake and it could easily be a disaster.

Fortunately, Zhang Yang's hair was long enough and his hairline was just right, and this stylist, who charged 1,500, was indeed quite professional.

A disaster was naturally out of the question.

"How does it look?" Tony spun the chair around, confidently showcasing his work.

Zhang Yang looked at himself in the mirror. Aside from not being as handsome as Bosco Wong, from the forehead up, it was a perfect replica of the classic Hong Kong-style side-parted look. He nodded in satisfaction.

After changing to the side-parted undercut, his temperament immediately improved significantly—more mature and stylish. Most importantly, the task was completed, and the reward was in hand.

"Where is the restroom?" Zhang Yang got up and headed to the washroom.

The first task of changing his hairstyle was complete; three experience points were obtained, and the top-tier hair quality was also acquired.

In the restroom, Zhang Yang took the opportunity to claim his top-tier hair quality.

Instantly, he saw himself in the mirror; his hair had become incredibly dark, thick, and smooth, possessing an indescribable sense of high quality. Looking closely, he couldn't find a single curled or split end.

The side-parted style had already been done quite successfully, but now that his hair quality had become top-tier, his hairstyle could be called the ceiling of the Hong Kong-style side-part!

Just looking at this hair, even Bosco Wong would have to bow down.

Walking out of the restroom, everyone from the stylists to the customers cast side-glances at him.

"My god, this hair is amazing!"

"Which stylist cut this?!"

"Isn't this cut just too successful?"

"It's just a shame he isn't very handsome, what a waste of such great hair."

Zhang Yang walked straight out of the shop. Inside, Tony stood dazed, watching Zhang Yang's retreating figure until a customer suddenly appeared before him.

"Stylist, can you give me the same haircut as that guy just now?"

"That's absolutely no problem!" Tony nodded belatedly, "Right this way, please!"

There was an optical shop not far from the salon. Not wanting to waste time, Zhang Yang went straight in to pick out a pair of contact lenses.

He didn't need to wear them long-term anyway; he just needed to finish the task first.

He put the contact lenses in and retired the black-rimmed glasses he had worn for so long. The moment he switched to the lenses, a pleasant system notification chimed once more.

"Another 3 experience points!" Zhang Yang smiled faintly and claimed the Eye Optimization reward.

In an instant, his vision blurred, even though he was still wearing the contact lenses.

I get it. My eyesight has improved, so wearing the contacts is actually making things blurry.

After taking the lenses out, his field of vision became incredibly bright and sharp. It was the first time he had ever seen such a clear world through these eyes.

Is this the effect of Eye Optimization?

Zhang Yang was once again left in awe of the system's capabilities.

Nearby, the female shop assistant stared at Zhang Yang in a daze, murmuring, "Changing to contact lenses makes such a huge difference?"

"What's so different?" Zhang Yang grabbed a mirror to take a look.

At that glance, he froze.

The person in the mirror was clearly still him, but upon closer inspection, his eyes were bright and spirited, and the shape of his eyes was impeccable. If he were to put on a face mask...

Having never been a handsome guy before, he felt a sudden, restless stirring in his heart.

After checking out, he headed toward a bustling fast-fashion store filled with trendy items, accessories, and various trinkets.

"I'll take this." He picked out a ten-pack of black face masks.

A moment later, a figure stepped out of the fast-fashion store.

With jet-black, high-quality hair and spirited eyes, he was the kind of person who would make others look twice, even while wearing a mask.

It really seems to work, Zhang Yang muttered to himself.

As he walked past a few girls, he clearly felt the young women among them stealing extra glances at him. It really wasn't his imagination; he had always been a man who knew his own limits.

Passing a mirror in a shop, Zhang Yang couldn't help but slow his pace to look at himself.

Have I really changed that much?

Inside the shop, several girls shopping for clothes whispered to each other. After all, with such jet-black, stylish hair and such bright, piercing eyes—

Hmm... even with a mask on, he must be a handsome guy underneath, right?

After admiring his transformation, Zhang Yang decided he shouldn't get lost in this illusion. A little appreciation was just curiosity, but getting obsessed would be losing his head.

So, after a moment's thought, he took off the mask, returning himself to reality.

Behind him, the girls felt their fantasies shatter.

"Ugh, what the heck? He turned into a completely different person the moment he took off the mask."

"Turns out he was just another mask-wearing fake."